Get down with the sickness

Sarah introduced me to a new app called Patient Zero (once more, iPeople need to get their own link).

How it works: you create a virus with a customized name and set of attributes. You then infect anybody else playing the game who comes within range. The exception is if the person in range is already carrying the maximum number of infections (6), in which case they won’t pick up yours.

When creating your virus, you trade range for duration. For instance, Sarah’s virus (“atheist flu”) has an infection radius of 10 miles, but only a lifespan of 24 hours. My virus (“godlessness”) has an infection range of 2 miles, but lives in its host for 72 hours.

On the leaderboard viruses built more like Sarah’s have infected a lot more people. This makes sense, since during the week most people travel over the same paths (drive to work, drive home), so all you need to do is pass them once. Duration beyond 24 hours becomes superfluous, so you want to be fishing with a bigger net rather than a smaller net for longer.

The exception would be weekends, when people are likely to traverse along different paths (they’ll go to the bar, they’ll take their kids somewhere, they’ll go to an airport, etc.) which just so happens to be when I’m usually traveling. *evil grin*

I got the app yesterday and so far I’ve infected 3 people with godlessness and all those infections are still alive. I intend to spread godlessness all across the country. Grab the app and start infecting others! Muahahahahahahahahaha!

When not defending the planet from inevitable apocalypse at the rotting hands of the undead, JT is a writer and public speaker about atheism, gay rights, and more. He spent two and a half years with the Secular Student Alliance as their first high school organizer. During that time he built the SSA’s high school program and oversaw the development of groups nationwide. JT is also the co-founder of the popular Skepticon conference and served as the events lead organizer during its first three years.

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